The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1887-11-18

room. They were relieved by others.
Fischer was the first one to emerge from
his cell Accompanied by two deputies he
stepped over to the plain iron sink and took
IA good wash. His every movement was
closely watched. Spies next performed
his additions and seemed to enjoy them.
Old man Engel followed the young An
archist. and the last to wash was Parsons.
The coff;ns in which were to be deposited
the bodies Of the condemned men after the
hanging were brought from the county
hospital at 3:15 4. m. and carried into the
Jail. At six o'clock 800 policemen, with
rifles, bayonets, revolvers and full cart
ridge boxes, went on duty at the Jail, Chief
Ebersod being in command in person, his
aides being Captains Buckley, Hubbard
and Setback. Detectives were stationed
outside the police lines and mingled with
the crowd.
At eight o'clock active preparations for
The execution began, when Chief Bailiff
Cahill arrived at the Jail and assign ned the
deputy sheriffs to their various positions
for the day.
At10:30 the condemned men were dressed
in new suits Of black, ready for the gallows.
Shortly after the ticket holders were ad-
mitted to the Jail and the doors closed.
At half-past eleven the death warrants
were read and the conyicts bound.
The four burly deputies standing in the
rear of the four condemned men began
without delay to adjust the ropes, Spies
moose being the first one placed. He di0
not appear to regard it Of any more conse-
Quence than new linen collar. The
knot was slipped down the cord close
against his neck, but he did not show a
tremor
When the same process was being car
ried on with Fischer, Spies turned and
quickly whispered to the bailiff some sug-
gestion concerning the rope. Fischer's oc-
casiOnal arJOr was quite nOilceably les
sened when he felt the hempen strand, and
Engel bit his under lip hard when his turn
came. just then DR.. Murphy, a young
ply stefan, standing back OF Engel, whis-
pered joke in Engers ear. Incredible as
it may seem, the IOw-brOwed Anarchist
laughed outright with the rope around his
neck, and while another was being
fastened ON Parsons by his side. But the
grotesque laugh stopped in a single in
slant and Parsons, meekly as a saint, cast
his eyes upward at the dangling line above
him.
Before the four Anarchists had an ink
ling of what was to be done, the white caps
were deftly slipped upon their heads and
drawn quickly down to the necks, shutting
off the view Of each as completely and
with less warning than does the camera
cloth at a photograph gallery.
August Spies was the first Of the four
doomed men to make use of his wits while
he could. In tone of Intense bitterness
of spirit, he, the man who wrote the
famous revenge circular. Kissed out be-
tween his tightly clcnched teeth: There
will come time when our silence will be
more powerful than the voices they are
to death.''
The last syllable Of Spies concluding
words, hoarse with suppressed passion,
had not reached an end when Engel raised
his voice and wildly cried: 'sHurrah for
Fischer caught the fire of the utterance
and still more loudly exclaimed: "Hurrah
for anarchy" adding: This is the hap
piest moment Of my life"
There was silence like the grave,
broken abruptly by the slow, measured in
donation of Parsons, like whlte-robed
priest before the altar of sacrifice as he
forth not dying request, but
"a VI i Uc
allowed to speak!" Then with slow en-
treaty came: "Will you let me speak,
Sheriff Matson!n There was another
agonizing pause. when muffied through the
cap broke out in unnatural, hollow ac-
cents: Let the voice of the people be
heard"
A crash as Of q falling house Numbered
through the corridors, and the slender
ropes were taut. SIN full view Of the 200
men in front were the four white, writing
shrouds.
The ropes could be seen slowly tighten
ing about the necks; that between cap and
shrOud could be noticed blackening and
Nine mortal minutes passed. Then it was
known to a certainty that not neck had
been broken.
All the Anarchists died OF strangulation
None Of their necks were broken.
As soon as the doctors had declared the
'our men to be dead those who witnessed
he execution began to depart in most
orderly manner, in great contrast to
previous occasions OF a similar character.
AFTER THE EXECUTION.
1t was wonderful to note how quickly the
which had filled the Jail all
morning had Gained down. The 900 pris-
'ners confined in the place who had been in |
ever heat during the tragic event Of the |
lay almost instantly regained their usual |
pirits and cracked jokes from cell to cell,
nd tbor baA bad v,othsnn 60 not s;coo |